President of Poland Karol Nawrocki vetoed the bill presented to him concerning assistance for Ukrainian citizens. He expressed the expectation that the Family 800 Plus (Rodzina 800 Plus) benefit should be granted only to working refugees from Ukraine. He announced that he would submit his own proposal on this matter. He also declared joint work on legal measures to counteract Banderism.
President Karol Nawrocki announced today the signing of five bills and the veto of three others. “Poland first, Poles first.” He pointed out that three and a half years ago Russia launched its barbaric attack on Ukraine.
Poles once again proved that we are a nation of solidarity, of open hearts. President Andrzej Duda, citizens, the mayor of Warsaw, as well as many politicians regardless of political emotions, were ready to help refugees. We were the first country to raise this issue in the diplomatic world. As a national community, we passed a great test of solidarity and openness toward our neighbors, also proposing legal solutions in the field of social policy and healthcare, which allowed many refugees from Ukraine to function within today’s socio-economic system. […] Over these three and a half years, very much has happened. We remain a nation open to helping and hosting refugees from Ukraine, as well as caring for them – and that will not change, it is not changing – said the president.
However, after three and a half years, the situation regarding Polish public finances and political and social emotions has fundamentally changed. The law proposed three and a half years ago should now be corrected. I am convinced that all major political groups clearly declare that 800+ should belong only to those refugees from Ukraine who work. (…) The bill that reached my desk on aid to Ukrainian citizens does not make this correction. I have not changed my position and intend to fulfill my commitments. 800+ should belong only to those Ukrainians who undertake the effort of work – he added.
He also pointed out an issue present in healthcare.
If we see a certain preference for Ukrainians over Poles and healthcare provided to Ukrainians regardless of whether they work and whether they pay a health contribution or not, this places us in a situation where the citizens of the Polish state in their own country are treated worse than our guests from Ukraine. I do not consent to this either. “Poland first, Poles first” – this is not just an election slogan, but I believe we should bring about a kind of social justice. At the very least, Poles in their own country should be treated on equal terms with our guests from Ukraine – emphasized the president.
I did not sign the bill on aid to Ukrainian citizens in its current form, while at the same time proposing my own draft law, encouraging the government and all communities to work hard over the next two weeks on the shape of this law. My associates are ready to cooperate – said Karol Nawrocki.
Earlier, during legislative work, PiS deputies wanted to make the payment of 800 Plus to Ukrainian citizens conditional on employment or conducting business activity in Poland, as well as tightening requirements for obtaining Polish citizenship. Their proposal was not accepted. The amendment to the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state assumed the extension of temporary protection granted to Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war until March 4, 2026. It also clarified the conditions for receiving the 800 Plus benefit so that it would also be paid for children who had completed secondary school before turning 18 and were fulfilling their education obligation by attending university or vocational qualification courses.
“Stop Banderism”
He reported that he is proposing new rules related to granting Polish citizenship.
Polish citizenship is not only a great honor. Whoever receives Polish citizenship also has an influence on the future of our national community. The process of granting citizenship should be extended from 3 to 10 years. There will also be a proposal to increase the penalty for illegal crossing of the Polish border – it should be 5 years. We must toughen these penalties in light of what is happening at our borders – said the president.
To eliminate Russian propaganda and to set Polish-Ukrainian relations on true partnership and mutual respect, I believe that in this draft law we should include the clear slogan “stop Banderism” and in the Penal Code equate the Banderite symbol with symbols corresponding to German Nazism and Soviet Communism, as well as introduce corrections to the law on the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) and the Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation in relation to UPA crimes – added President Nawrocki.
He assessed that all these actions are “in the interest of the Polish national community” and “of good relations with Ukraine, built on the foundation of truth and against Russian propaganda.”
Paweł Szefernaker, head of the Chancellery of the President of Poland, told journalists that the current legal solutions expire at the end of September and expressed hope that by the end of September the draft presented by the president will complete the legislative process.